Calibrachoa plant named ‘Cal Orang08’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Caliachoa  plant named ‘Cal Orang08’, characterized by its mounding and outwardly spreading to trailing plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plants; early and freely flowering habit; numerous bright orange-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘CAL ORANG08’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Cal Orang08’.

The new Calibrachoa is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Gilroy, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Calibrachoa cultivars with uniform plant habit and numerous attractive flowers.

The new Calibrachoa originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in August, 2004 in Gilroy, Calif. of the Calibrachoa sp. cultivar Cal Goldey, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,303, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 1285, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif. in April, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif. since April, 2005 has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Cal Orang08 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Cal Orang08’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Cal Orang08’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa:

-   -   1. Mounding and outwardly spreading to trailing plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plants.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Numerous bright orange-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

The new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Cal Goldey. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ from plants of the cultivar Cal Goldey in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more prostrate in plant         habit than plants of the cultivar Cal Goldey.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have more flowers in the center         than plants of the cultivar Cal Goldey.     -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar Cal Goldey         differ in flower color as plants of the cultivar Cal Goldey have         gold-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more freely branching than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa flower earlier than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have salmon-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the cultivar Cal Oran, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,737. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Calibrachoa differed from plants of the cultivar Cal Oran in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more compact than plants         of the cultivar Cal Oran.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more freely branching than         plants of the cultivar Cal Oran.     -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had narrower and brighter         green-colored leaves than plants of the cultivar Cal Oran.     -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had smaller flowers than plants         of the cultivar Cal Oran.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Calibrachoa, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calibrachoa. The photograph comprises a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Cal Orang08’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Hillscheid, Germany under commercial practice during the summer in an outdoor nursery. Plants used for the photograph were grown in 15-cm containers for about 16 weeks. Plants used for the description were grown in 25-cm hanging basket containers for about seven months. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. cultivar Cal Orang08. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed parent.—Calibrachoa sp. cultivar Cal Goldey,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,303.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 1285, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate and develop root.—About 18 to 23 days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; color, close to 155D. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Mounding and outwardly spreading to             trailing plant habit. Freely branching habit with about             eight primary lateral branches each with about four to five             secondary lateral branches; full and dense plants. Vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 20 cm to 25 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 60 cm to 70 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 30 cm to 40 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3 mm to 4 mm.         -   Interode length.—About 2 cm to 3.5 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong; flexible.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading to             trailing.         -   Texture.—Densely hirsute.         -   Color.—Close to 143C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 3.5 cm to 4 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.3 cm to 1.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Obtuse to rounded.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Hirsute; more dense at             the margins and midrib.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to 137D.             Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to 139C. Fully             expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to 137C; venation,             close to 145B. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close             to 139C; venation, close to 145A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Hirsute; more dense at the margins             and midrib. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers             arranged singly arising from upper leaf axils. Freely             flowering habit with usually about 120 to 150 flowers             developing per plant. Flowers not persistent. Flowers face             mostly outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Calibrachoa             initiate and develop flowers about eight to ten weeks after             planting. Plants flower continuously during the summer in             Hillscheid, Germany.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five to             eight days on the plant.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.7 cm to 4 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 3.7 cm to 4 cm.         -   Corolla tube length.—About 1.6 cm to 1.8 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Shape: Oblong, elongate. Length: About 2.5 cm to             2.7 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Color: Close to 12C; towards             the apex, 39A to 39B.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet; flowers star-shaped. Petal             shape: Roughly obovate. Petal apex: Truncate to slightly             retuse. Petal margin: Entire; weakly undulate. Petal             texture, upper surface: Papillose, glabrous; satiny. Petal             texture, lower surface: Hirsute. Color: Petal, when opening,             upper surface: Close to 40C. Petal, when opening, lower             surface: Close to 33D. Petal, fully opened, upper surface:             Close to 32B; towards the throat, close to 45A; venation,             close to 45A. With development, color becoming closer to             32C; towards the throat, close to 44A. Color of some flowers             eventually becoming closer to 39B. Petal, fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 33D; random patches, close to 51C to             51D. Throat: Close to 7A. Tube: Closeto 11B.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals fused at the base per flower. Sepal length: About 1.5             cm to 1.6 cm. Sepal width: About 3 mm. Sepal shape:             Lanceolate to ligulate. Sepal apex: Rounded. Sepal margin:             Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Densely             hirsute; more dense at margins and midrib. Color, upper             surface: Close to between 137D and 143A. Color, lower             surface: Close to 137D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.5 cm to 2.2 cm. Diameter: About             1 mm. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture:             Hirsute. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: About             five per flower. Filament length: About 1 cm to 1.4 cm.             Filament diameter: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to             150D. Anther shape: Reniform, two-parted. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 8A. Pistils: Quantity: One             per flower. Pistil length: About 1.2 cm. Style color: Close             to 145D. Stigma shape: Ovate. Stigma color: Close to 145A.             Ovary color: Close to 145D.         -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Garden performance:

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and temperatures ranging from about 5° C. about 30° C.

-   Pathogen/pest resistance; Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Calibrachoa. 

1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘Cal Orang08’ as illustrated and described. 